Segway and balance issues.

[ions82]

Hello!

I'm exploring the idea of obtaining a Segway. I am a 24-year-old fellow that has a low-level spinal cord injury. I only have limited use of my legs. They are quite strong and I can stand for a while and walk with forearm crutches. However, I cannot move my ankles and wear braces below the knees. Most of the time, I use a wheelchair to get from A to B. I have decent lateral balance, just not much fore and aft. I'm hoping that a Segway would be a useful tool to get around a college campus. Long-term crutch/wheelchair users often run into trouble with the joints in their shoulders, elbows, and wrists. Just one surgery would be far more than the cost of a Segway. Right now, there's no way that I can afford the Segway. However, I'm hoping that I can come up with something (insurance, grant, etc....) that would help me get one. I sure like the idea!
I guess I'm just looking for people that have strength but little balance to share their experiences. I read something about a double-amp that uses two prosthetics while riding a Segway. With that in mind, I feel confindent that it is something that I might be able to use. If anyone out there has any experience or advice, please post or shoot me an e-mail. Thanks!

[billc]

Give it a go...the most remnarkable thing I have seen is the "balance" enhancement.

It's all got to do with why you fall over when you stand up..
a) Not enough strength to correct your sway
b) slow reaction
c) (most probable) - don't detect (slow reaction) the sway until the amplitude is such that the moments (strength )required to correct is too large!

This is where the Segway can be amazing...it's correcting the sway for you and not "allowing" that large amplitude sway which puts someone beyond the point of no return in terms of balance...
In short...people like amputees, SCI, elderly, will have a combination of reaction (propriception) and strength issues.

If you can sustain balance whilst the "sway" or amplitude is not large...it should be right up your alley.

If even without large sway, you fatigue (with time) and don't have the strength to sustain balance ..the Segway probably will not help.....

I would definitely try it (preferably with a supportive and knowledgaeble (of your case) health professional)

Good luck...let us know how it goes!

Bill Contoyannis
Manager / Rehabilitation Engineer, REHAB Tech
Centre for Biomedical Engineering - Monash University

[ions82]

Thanks, Bill! That was a great reply. You described (quite well) just the situation that I have. I can balance enough to stand up and be in one place. However, I have to take very little steps back and forth to stay up right. I can just place one finger on something stable and balance just fine. The strength is good. I can stand for an hour without much problem. I'm DEFINITELY going to try and get a Segway. However, I'm probably going to have to find a "grant" or alternate means of paying for it. I'd love to be able to be upright and move about swiftly. Someone told me that Segway users often get strange looks while riding around. I'd much rather take those than all the looks of "sympathy" that I get while crusin' around in my wheelchair. In addition, people respond to me totally differently when I'm standing (or using crutches) as opposed to sitting in my chair. I look forward to owning a Segway. I think it will be very beneficial to my life. I'm all for the idea of NOT destroying the joints in my arms by long-term wheelchair use. Hopefully, the Segway will prevent that. Thanks for the advice!